Primary cell



May 20, 95 J. J. COLEMAN ET AL PRIMARY CELL Filed NOV. 20, 1948 3 M PERCHLORATE NITROMETHANE INVENTORS Mama 2v w fla -19* 4 Patented May 20, 1952 PRIMARY CELL Joseph :I. =Goleman and Demetrius V. Louzos, Freeport, Ill., ass'ignors, by mesne-assignments, to :Burgess Battery Company, iFreeport, 111., .a "corporation :of .Delaware ApplicaitionNovember 20, 1948, Serial No. 61245 \3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in :primary cells adapted for the delivery of 'electri :oa'l current, and particularly to an improved primany cell having a non-aqueous electrolyte.

il leretoiore, "current producing primary cells have employed aqueous electrolytes. The principal lreason for this is that water readily ionizes theelectrolytecompoundand such ionization-pro motes electrolytic action and conductivity. It has been the belief heretofore that an aqueous electrolyte is necessary in order to provide the ionization required 'for the satisfactory production of=currentoutput.

The-use of :an aqueous electrolyte, however, has the disadvantage that ittends to attackthe negative electrode while the cell is not in operation, with the result that the cell undergoes persistent "deterioration and exhaustion unless the mentioned tendency is successfully resisted. The avoidance of excessive deterioration andex haus- 'tion from this cause has been one of the chief problems confronting the primary batter-y industry. The tendency is more pronounced with the more highly-electronegative metals, such asunagmesium, and :the use-of su-ch metals has been gen- :erally avoided for this :reason. The latter are maturallymore desirable because they impart to the cell 'a higher voltage and the ability to deliver a grea ter amount of electrical energy but, nevertheless, little use has been made oi them in the :pas't because they are more susceptible toattack by-"the aqueous electrolyte.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that primary cells having satisfae'tory currentdelivering properties :can be made with an-electrolyte containinga non-aqueous solvent, that is, a substantially water-free organic solvent. It has been found that certain nonaqueous solvents dissolve electrolyte salts and otherwise function in :a manner "such as to proyidesuitable (electrolytic action and satisfactory energy delivery performance. :In addition, such electrolytes containing 'non-aqueous solvents exhibit markedly less attackupon' the inegat'ive electrode than do'water and the aqueous electrolytes employed heretofore.

It is the object of the invention to provid'ean improved primary cell employing a non-aqueous solvent in the electrolyte in which :cell the negative electrode sir-tiers only slight attack by the electrolyte and does not undergo objectionable deterioration and exhaustion'when the cell :is not in operation.

' -Itis a further-object :of the invention to make it possible to use a more :highly--.electronegative metal such-as magnesium =for the negative electrode, thus providing a a cell having a higher voltage antl reducing thenumber of cells requ'iredin a battery of predetermined voltage, and, in :general, providing a battery capable of delivering a high output of electrical-energy for its-size. Another advantage flowing from the use of magnesium is that it is one of the more abundant and readily available metals.

Other-objects and advantages will =become-ap- 'parent as the following description progresses, which is to be taken inconjunc'tion with thenccoinpanying drawing, in which the single figure =is --'a:sectional-elevation of a primary cell in (accordance with the present invention.

The cell-'comprisesa container 10 which i gen- 'erally rectangular ins'hape, but Jmay be:of any desired shape, and is open at the top. 'J'Ihe Icontain'er is composed of a non-conductive .matei ial which is resistant to moisture and the electrolyte of the cell, such -as rubber hydrochloride, phenol formaldehyde resin, or the like.

Adjacent to the interior surface of a wall -:.of container 40 is the metal negative electrode 12 *Which'isin the form of aflatiplate'having a. height somewhat less than that of the container :l'fl. Adjacent to the negative electrode is a layer of 'bibulous non-conductive material 1.3,such as blotiting paper. (The "bibulous :layer :13 absorbs the liquid ielectrolyte of the cell. .Adjacent to the :bibu'lous layer l 3 isa body :of oxidizing material M which may be a compacted liquid absorbent mass of finely 'divided particles .of a:mixture of conductive material, :such :as graphite, carbon black or-other form of carbon, and an oxidizing agent which servesas adepolarizer for the :cell. Said oxidizing agent will be .describedmore fully hereinafter. The proportions of oxidizing agent and conductive material are not critical, it being necessary only to provide 'sufficient of each to afford'the desired conductivity and oxidizing activitv. "The oxidizing body t4 absorbs the electrolyte, .vihereby the electrolyte is present :in both the body :I4 and the bibulousLlayeri 3.

Embeddedin the oxidizing :body r I! andzin conductiveacontact'ltherewith is the positive electrode l 5ofjthe icllfwhichzmaybe :comp'osed ofrantzinert conductive'substance and may be in any desired form. In thefspecific cell shown, it.is-:composed of carbon and is in the form :of .a cylindrical .rod having iitsiu-pper endxportionprojecting .above'the oxidizing body M. The said projectingien'd: has a metal cap l6 fitting frictionally thereever, said cap. serving-"asone terminalof'the cell. The negative electrode 1.2 *has :a (conductor 1:! connected thereto and serving as the second terminal of the cell. Conductor Il may be a strip of the same metal as that of which electrode I2 is composed, and may be connected to the electrode by welding. A sheet of non-conductive electrolyte-resistant material I8, which may be similar to the material of which container I is composed, is fitted into container II] upon the tops of the cell elements. The electrode I5 and terminal I! project upwardly through the sheet I8. The top of the cell is sealed by pouring into the upper portion of the container I0 and upon the sheet I8 a molten sealing composition, such as wax or pitch, which solidifies upon cooling to form the seal closure IS. The terminals I6 and IT project above the sheet I8 and the seal I9 and are adapted for connection to an external circuit.

A liquid electrolyte is introduced into the container I0 and is absorbed and retained by the bibulous layer I3 and the oxidizing body I4 and is in conductive contact with the negative electrode I2 and the oxidizing body I4. The electrolyte of the cell is a solution comprising a solvent component which is a non-aqueous liquid and a solute component which is a compound which renders the solution conductive and when in the solution is electrolytically reactive and spontaneously unreactive toward the negative electrode.

In accordance with the present invention, the solvents which may be employed are nitromethane and nitroethane. These compounds are liquid at ordinary temperatures and by themselves are inert toward the electrodes and the oxidizing agent, i. e., they do not appreciably attack or corrode said elements. The compounds may be used separately or a mixture of both may be used if desired.

Magnesium is employed for the negative electrode I2. Magnesium has the advantages that it is readily available, stable under most conditions, and produces a relatively high cell voltage.

For the positive electrode I5, a conductive material is chosen which is substantially inert toward the electrolyte, both in the presence and the absence of the electrolytic action of the cell. Carbon is suitable, and where silver chloride is used as the oxidizing agent as described hereinafter, silver may be used. In the specific cell illustrated, the electrode I5 is a compressed body of carbon similar to that commonly used in dry cells of the Le Clanche type.

For the reactive electrolyte compound, magnesium perchlorate is used. This compound is soluble in the organic solvent and (forms therewith an electrolytically conductive solution. Also, when in solution in the solvent it is electrolytically reactive toward the material of the negative electrode, but is spontaneously unreactive toward said electrode, i. e., it is reactive toward the negative electrode when the cell electrodes are connected together through an external circuit and the cell is operative, and unreactive when the electrodes are not connected together and the cell is inoperative. Also, it does not cause the plating of metal on the negative electrode. The amount of reactive compound is not critical, it being only necessary to supply sufiicient thereof to provide the desired reactivity and conductivity. During operation of the cell, the electrolyte enters into reaction with the negative electrode.

At ordinary temperature, magnesium perchlorate exists as the anhydrous compound,

Mg(ClOt)z and also in the form of various hydrates including the dihydrate, Mg(C1O4)2.2H2O, the trihydrate, Mg(ClO4)2.31-I2O, the tetrahydrate, Mg(C1O4)2.4H2O and the hexahydrate, Mg(ClO-i) 2.61120 (J. A. C. S. vol. 54, pp. 3513-3523 (1932) These hydrates, as well as the anhydrous compounds, are suitable in the nonaqueous system of the present invention. When the solid hydrate goes into solution in the organic solvent, it continues to exhibit hydrating power. that is, the power to bind water, and the water of hydration remains bound thereto and the organic solvent remains free of water. In some instances a small amount of the water may become dissociated from the compound and exist in freedom in the solvent. Such water will then react with the negative electrode and cause a slight corrosion of the latter. Such water is quickly consumed, however, and does not do objectionable damage, and the solvent again assumes its non-aqueous character. In the same way, the invention contemplates that a small amount of water may be present initially in the electrolyte. This water is quickly consumed in reacting with the negative electrode and the solvent then assumes its non-aqueous character. The solution of the reactive electrolyte compound in the solvent forms the electrolyte of the cell.

For the oxidizing agent which is included in the oxidizing body I4, lead dioxide and silver chloride have been found to be suitable in accordance with the present invention. The oxidizing agent is one of the factors which determines the potential of the positive electrode.

The solution which has been described heretofore and which is held by the oxidizing body I4 and the absorbent layer I3 forms the electrolyte for the cell, providing electrolytic conductivity between the electrodes I2 and I5 and entering readily into electrolytic reaction with the negative electrode I2 and the oxidizing body I4, whereby the cell has strong current delivering powers.

A specific example of a satisfactory cell in accordance with the invention is one having the mechanical construction described heretofore and composed of elements as follows: the negative electrode is composed of magnesium and the positive electrode is composed of carbon; the solvent is nitromethane and the reactive electrolyte compound is magnesium perchlorate, which is present in an amount equal to 10% by weight of the solution. Such electrolyte provides satisfactory reactivity and conductivity. The oxidizing body I4 is a mixture, the solid components of which comprise approximately 92.5% by weight of finely divided lead dioxide and approximately 7.5% of thermal acetylene black. The separating member I3 is composed of blotting paper. Such a cell has an open circuit voltage of 1.97 volts and is adapted to deliver current of substantial value.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 713,944, filed December 4, 1946, now abandoned. Primary cells of the character generally similar to that described herein and employing various organic solvents in the electrolyte are disclosed in our copending applications Serial Nos. 61,244, 61,246, 61,247 and 61,248, all filed November 20, 1948.

What is claimed is:

1. A primary cell comprising a magnesium negative electrode and a positive electrode, an electrolyte in contact with said electrodes'comprising an essentially water-free solvent from solved therein, and an oxidizing body exposed to said electrolyte and in conductive contact with said positive electrode. a

2. A primary cell comprising positive and negative electrodes composed of carbon and" magnesium respectively, an electrolyte in contact with said electrodes comprising an essentially water-free solvent from the group consisting of nitromethane and nitroethane containing magnesium perchlorate dissolved therein, and an oxidizing agent composed of lead dioxide exposed to said electrolyte and in conductive contact with said positive electrode.

3. A primary cell comprising a positive electrode and a magnesium negative electrode, and an electrolyte in contact with said electrodes comprising a substantially water-free solvent 6 from the group consisting of nitrometlfiane and nitroethane containing magnesium prchlorate dissolved therein. f

JOSEPH J. COLEMAN. DEME'I'RIOS V'. LOUZOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name Date 1,425,163 Bardt Aug. 8, 1922 1,920,151 Ruben July 25, 1933 15 2,428,850 Lawson Oct. 14, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 391,468 France Aug. 31, 1908 

3. A PRIMARY CELL COMPRISING A POSITIVE ELECTRODE AND A MAGNESIUM NEGATIVE ELECTRODE, AND AN ELECTROLYTE IN CONTACT WITH SAID ELECTRODES COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE SOLVENT FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NITROMETHANE AND NITROETHANE CONTAINING MAGNESIUM PERCHLORATE DISSOLVED THEREIN. 